Family Ties
by Danny Hawk
Summary: Where's Chris? Where's Ned? What did he do?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer : I do not own the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, but I own Christensen Handel, the setting-Village Hill and the Villagers' Welcome Inn.

- This story happens when Frank and Nancy are approximately 24 years of age.

**CHAPTER ONE**

Nancy carefully threaded trough the thick crowd along Village River as she carried a four-year-old Christensen Handel in her arms. She was on holiday with her deceased cousin's son at Village Hill. Although the weather on Village Hill was fairly cold, Nancy was sweating profusely in the heat of the afternoon sun and the crowd.

"Nancy, Nancy, please hurry," urged Christensen, getting impatient. "I wanna know why there are so many people here."

Nancy shifted Christensen to rest on her other arm. "Yes, Chris," she said. She was very fond of her nephew and she was now his official guardian. "Chris, now I know why there are so many people here."

"Why? Why?" he asked excitedly, squirming in Nancy's tight grasp. "Ooohh, a man caught a huge fish!"

"Yeah," Nancy said with false excitement. "The fish is a big as you, you know?"

"No," said a bewildered Chris. "I say he's as big as a…a…uhm…a truck – yeah, a truck." He scratched his head a little and had a confused look on his face. "Nancy, I'm hot."

"Do you want an ice-cream?" asked Nancy, pointing to a small ice-cream van by the road.

"Yeah." answered Chris, still scratching his head. "A double-scoop chocolate ice-cream with thick chocolate sauce would be great."

"Then let's go," she said turning around.

Ice-cream on a hot day on Village Hill. A shining sun with a cooling breeze. Frank Hardy had to smile as he counted out the money to pay for his and Joe's ice-cream.

"Isn't this place so wonderful to destress?" asked Joe Hardy.

"And you wanted to go to New York," Frank told his younger brother. "Come on, it's the mid-term break in university. This is the only chance we'll get to really enjoy before we have to face reality – examinations."

"True, true," said Joe, nodding in agreement. "I always thought that you were the study freak of the family."

"Well, when I have the chance to relax, why not take it?" he smiled, handing Joe his ice-cream.

"Do you see what I see?" said Frank all of a sudden.

Joe whipped around. "Huh? See what? If you're talking about that great-looking girl over there…"

"No," interrupted Frank. "It's Nancy."

"Nancy? What's she doing here at Village Hill?" asked Joe, confused.

"What you mean is, who is that kid with her?" corrected Frank.

At that moment, Nancy recognised them. With a huge grin, she strode towards them with the little boy. Joe snuck a look at his brother's face. He could see that Frank was happy to see her. Very happy.

"Nancy Drew!" exclaimed Joe. "What are you doing here? I mean Village Hill – who would ever pick this as their destination for a vacation except for Frank…"

Frank scowled at Joe, who merely grinned. "Glad to see you, Nan," he said, drawing her into a warm hug.

Nancy leaned onto his chest as he squeezed her tightly. He could smell her sweet scent of perfume – a secret blend of hers. He didn't want to let her go, but knowing their unspoken boundaries, he pulled back. "We missed you, a lot," he declared, finally releasing her.

"Me, too," she said. "Where are you guys staying?"

"Villager's Welcome Inn." replied Frank. "Little brother here insisted we stay there after looking at the condition of the other motels."

"Hey, Frank, we're on vacation, right?" said Joe, trying to reason with Frank.

"Yeah, but who's paying?" demanded Frank.

Joe laughed sheepishly while Nancy patted Frank on the shoulder. "Real fussy little kid brother you've got." She laughed, her blue eyes gleaming.

"Who's this cute kid?" asked Joe, bending down to get a closer look at the sandy-haired lad.

"Oh, Frank, Joe, meet Christensen Handel-my cousin's son. I'm Chris's rightful guardian according to the law," said Nancy proudly.

"Phew, raising a kid on your own is no joke," said Frank sympathetically.

"That is why, Nancy needs some _man_ power," said Joe, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Christensen tugged at Nancy's white jacket. "Nancy, can I have my ice-cream now, please?" He flashed Nancy a cute smile and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes, you may have your ice-cream now after such a long interruption," she said.

"Hey!" exclaimed Joe. "Don't you blame us, Drew."

But Nancy just laughed and turned around, tossing her strawberry-blond hair. Joe looked at Frank, who had his eyes fixed on Nancy. It was obvious that the two of them had feelings for one another. Joe grinned to himself as he watched Nancy walk off to the ice-cream vendor. This would be a very interesting vacation, thought Joe.


	2. Chapter 2

**TesubCalle : **Thanks for the review

**katie janeway :** Sorry about that mistake of that word destress. The auto correct…

**Kakaru : **Thanks for the encouragement!

**CHAPTER 2**

He stumbled into a dark room of a nameless, cheap hotel and switched on the light which blinded him momentarily. He latched the door clumsily and lay himself on the bed. He stared up at the ceiling of the room. Turning to the bureau on the right, he lifted a photograph. He stared at the sandy-haired little boy. He touched the face of the boy affectionately, constantly murmuring, "Christensen, Christensen, you're exactly like your darling mother…Rachel Drew…"

"Nice place you've got, Nan," said Frank, as they emerged from Frank's black convertible.

Before them was a white, colonial cottage surrounded by an organized garden with a myriad of colorful flowers. Christensen immediately leapt out of the car and started to run around the garden, shouting, "Joe, Joe, Joe, come and catch me!"

"Watch out, kiddo, I'm coming!" cried Joe as he broke out into a run after the little boy.

"Still the same old Joe, huh?" asked Nancy.

"Same old Joe," replied Frank laughing as he opened the door to Nancy's cottage.

Nancy invited Frank into the warm living room and sat him down on the comfortable couch. Frank watched Nancy as she headed to the kitchen. He looked around the living room. It was decorated with much simplicity, just the way he would have decorated his own house. Then, he saw a photograph on a small corner table that caught his eye. He walked towards the table and picked the photograph in a sleek silver frame. It was a photograph of Nancy and himself when they went on holiday aboard the _Emperor II_ cruise liner about a year ago. They were both leaning against the railing of the ship with the sun setting in the back. Frank smiled to himself at the recollection of the trip. Suddenly he heard the back door of the cottage burst open and heard Nancy demanding, "What happened?"

He replaced the frame on the table, not bothering to correct its position and ran to the kitchen. There, he saw Nancy kneeling beside an unconscious Christensen whose head was bleeding profusely. Nancy turned around to Frank with pleading eyes. "Frank, help."


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Nancy paced along the corridor, occasionally glancing at either her watch or the room where Chris was given treatment. _Rachel, I'm so sorry…_

"Nancy, you alright?" asked a voice coming from behind. She spun around and saw Frank. She nodded grimly.

"Coffee?" he asked, handing out a styrofoam cup with steaming hot coffee in it. She eagerly accepted it muttering her thanks to Frank. She gulped it down slowly and sat on a bench beside Frank.

Suddenly, the door burst open and a little man in a doctor's coat appeared. He strode towards them, the heels his black shoes clicking loudly on the white marble floor. Nancy rushed to the doctor with Frank behind her.

"How's he, doctor?" she asked, worried.

The doctor put his hand on Nancy's arm. "He's fine. Don't worry," he said reassuringly.

Nancy exhaled loudly and thanked the doctor profusely. She turned around to face Frank who held her tightly to his chest. "Thank God he's alright."

He bought a copy of the_ Daily Messenger _and sat down at a booth at a little eatery with a hot cup of coffee. He flipped the front page open. Reading the headlines, he almost spat out his drink. _What! _

**ACE DETECTIVE NANCY DREW RIGHTFUL GUARDIAN TO 4-YEAR-OLD CHRISTENSEN HANDEL**

_No, it cannot be. It's not possible. _His whole body trembled as he continued to read the article. "…Drew became the legal guardian of Handel when the latter's mother-Rachel Drew died after being shot. Apparently, the shot was meant for her criminal husband, Warrick Handel…" He slammed the paper onto the tabletop. When he looked up, he realized that half the diners were looking at him. He grabbed the papers and strode out.

"Hey, buddy, you alright?" Nancy asked Chris gently. His head was bandaged up and his face was slightly pale.

"Yeah," he said, "Where's Joe?"

"Joe's outside," she answered, "Do you want me to call him for you?"

"Nah, he's probably tired after chasing that crook," said Chris waving his hand.

"Crook? What crook?" she asked.

"Some man with black hair and huge sunglasses," he answered nonchalantly. The little boy let out a yawn.

"Get some sleep, okay? I'll be right outside," she said as she bent down to give him a quick kiss on the forehead.

Nancy flipped the light off and quietly shuffled out of the ward. She closed the door and saw Frank and Joe sitting on the bench. She walked to the brothers and realized that Joe was asleep. She grinned at the sight of Joe's head on Frank's shoulder. Frank got up hastily at the sight of Nancy, forgetting that Joe was resting on him.

"How's Chris?" he asked.

"Umm…Frank, I think that you should worry more about little brother back there," said Nancy, stifling a laugh. Joe had been roughly jolted out of his sleep when Frank got up and fell flat on the bench.

"Hey, Frank, I know it's Nancy, but don't forget about me," said Joe, pretending to look hurt while rubbing his shoulder.

"I had to do something, you were drooling on my shoulder for the past 10 minutes," teased Frank.

"I did not," said Joe, indignantly.

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Okay, okay," Nancy interrupted their argument, "It's getting late."

She led the two brothers to her convertible and stepped in. She dropped them off at the Villager's Welcome and headed home for a good night's rest.

Just before she fell asleep, she remembered something important. _I must ask Joe about the 'crook'…_

A/N : Okay, this chapter isn't that well done, but at least I'm getting somewhere…


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Nancy, Frank and Joe. (Sadly…) But I own Christensen Handel, the weird Mr. Man in the hotel, Villagers' Welcome Inn, Daily Messenger newspaper and Sally's Soup Shop.

**CHAPTER 4**

He clutched the glass tightly and threw it at the wall. The glass plummeted to the wall and smashed into bits. He lifted the newspaper from the bureau and tore out the article. He separated a picture of Nancy and Christensen from the paragraph. Carefully, he smoothened out the crumpled paper and laid it on the bed. He lighted a cigarette with shaking hands and stared at the picture once again. He lifted it and burnt it with his lighter. He broke out into fit of a devilish laugh. _Revenge is mine…_

The following day, Frank and Joe went to Sally's Soup Shop for breakfast and to meet up with Nancy. Frank and Joe arrived 10 minutes earlier and took a seat at a secluded corner of the shop.

"Cool place," said Joe, looking around the 1950's-themed shop.

Frank nodded in agreement, leaning back on the beige leather seat. He looked up at the paintings and interesting pieces of furniture. "Definitely not a place you'd see in Bayport."

The wind chimes above the door tinkled softly as the shop door opened. The two brothers looked up spontaneously. In came Nancy dressed in a black T-shirt and white trousers. She scanned the little shop for the duo. At the corner of the shop, she saw Frank waving his hand to attract her attention. She smiled and walked over to where they were.

"Hey, guys," greeted Nancy cheerfully as she took a seat next to Frank.

"Hey," chorused Frank and Joe.

"You want anything?" Joe asked Nancy, "I'll get it for you."

"It's okay," said Nancy, rising from her seat, "I'll get it myself."

"No, no."

"Well, since you're so eager," said Nancy, laughing, "You can help me get my food."

"What'll it be?"

"Hmm…" said Nancy, scanning her menu. She told Joe her order and he departed from the table. He queued up at the long line at the self-service counter. "Little bro's really desperate, huh?"

"Yeah…desperate," said Frank lazily. "So, how's life up here, away from mysteries?"

"Oh, you'd really enjoy this, Frank," said Nancy, "Relaxing."

"Where's Ned?" asked Frank, curious. He saw her face darken as he spoke of her boyfriend.

"He's... umm… in Emerson," she said, not daring to look directly at Frank.

Frank reached out and touched her on her chin, lifting her head up. She looked terribly sad. "Is everything alright, Nan?"

"It's just…it's just…," she fumbled for words, "Could we talk about this later when Joe's not here, Frank?"

Frank looked at her sympathetically. "Sure, my time's yours."

Joe returned with a tray of food for the three of them. He laid the three bowls of soup, a cup of tea and two cups of coffee on the table and sat down. They ate slowly, savouring every bite while chatting merrily. When they finished, they sat back and enjoyed their cup of coffee – and tea.

Suddenly, Nancy remembered about what Christensen had said the night before.

"_Nah, he's probably tired after chasing that crook," said Christensen waving his hand._

"_Crook? What crook?" she asked. _

"_Some man with black hair and huge sunglasses," he answered nonchalantly._

Snapping out of her reverie, she turned to Joe and asked, "Joe, what did Chris mean yesterday when he said something about you chasing a crook?"

Joe leaned in front and cleared his throat. "Oh, that…that guy was just an irresponsible cyclist who was speeding." He laughed nervously.

Nancy laughed together. "That's what a little over-imaginative boy calls a crook."

Frank eyed his brother suspiciously. Joe looked rather uncomfortable when Nancy asked about the 'crook'. He turned to Frank and when he saw Frank's questioning look, he immediately turned away. _Hmm… what's going on?_

After a filling breakfast and a visit to the hospital, Frank and Joe headed back to the Villager's Welcome Inn. Joe dived onto his queen-sized bed and took out a car magazine from his back-pack. He flipped it opened and browsed through it, humming a tune.

"Joe," said Frank.

"Hmm?" mumbled Joe without looking up.

"Joe, look at me," he said firmly.

Joe got up and sat crossed-legged on the bed. "What is it, Frank?"

Frank noticed that Joe was fingering the bed sheet – something he does when he is nervous since he was a kid. Both brothers were so attached that they could not keep secrets from one another. Frank crossed his arms and stared at Joe sternly. Joe tried to break off eye contact.

"Joe, I know something fishy's going on," said Frank.

Joe shifted his legs uncomfortably. "What do you mean, Frank?"

"What do I _mean_?" said Frank, incredulously. "You were hiding something from Nancy and I back there at Sally's. What _actually_ happened?"

Joe sighed. He raised up his hands in defeat. "Okay, okay, you win, bro. Promise you won't tell Nan?"

"Promise."

"The person who hit Chris is someone we know," said Joe.

"_We know_?" questioned Frank, shocked. "I mean who would try to hurt Chris?"

"Slow down," said Joe, "The person is…" He paused.

"Who?" asked Frank, impatiently.

"Ned Nickerson."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N :** Thanks so much for the encouraging reviews! Please continue to read up and of couse, review.

**CHAPTER 5**

"_We know?" questioned Frank, shocked. "I mean who would try to hurt Chris?"_

"_Slow down," said Joe, "The person is…" He paused._

"_Who?" asked Frank, impatiently._

"_Ned Nickerson."_

"Ned!" shouted Frank, shocked to the core. No wonder Joe _couldn't _spill it. He sat on the bed. "I mean…how…why…Ned's hair is _blond_ not _black_."

Joe stared at his brother with his mouth agape. How could he be so dumb? Doesn't he know what the miracles hair-dye can do? "Oh, Frank, don't be stupid. Hair-dye, for Pete's sake!" said Joe, aggravated. How can level-headed Frank be so idiotic when it comes to Nancy?

"Nancy can't know," mumbled Frank. "It'll break her heart."

Nancy opened her letter-box and took out two white envelopes. There was a parcel in there, too. She walked casually into her cottage and sat down on the couch to read her mail. She opened the small parcel first. Inside was a T-shirt – a child's T-shirt. Digging further into the box, she found a slightly burnt picture of cousin Rachel, Christensen and his father - Warrick Handel. Then, there was a note.

_It's so fun when you break up families, huh? Well, want me to try it on you? Don't worry, honey, your chance will be here soon…_

_Love,_

_The psychotic New Yorker._

Nancy stopped short. Who could 'The psychotic New Yorker' be? She stared at the three items disgusted at the gross mentality of the sender. Many people disagreed about the fact that she was to be Chris legal guardian after Rachel's death, including Ned…

**flashback **

_"Nancy, I don't understand why you have to agree to be that Christensen's legal guardian?" protested Ned, "Aren't you happy with your life just the way it is?"_

_"Yes, I am," said Nancy, her voice quavering._

_"But what is it I can't provide that a child can?" he demanded._

_"Ned!" she shouted, her headache getting worse by the seconds. "Just stop it. Don't you understand what 'family' means? Rachel trusted me and I don't see that trust in you." With that, Nancy stormed out of Ned's apartment, leaving him in an uncontrollable fit._

**end flashback**

Nancy picked up the phone receiver and dialed Frank's cell phone with trembling hands. Engaged! Where was Frank when she needed him so much? She put the receiver down with much frustration. Then, she heard a quiet engine of a car in the driveway. She got up from the couch and wiped away the tears that had flowed from her eyes unnoticed. It was Frank – alone. She let out a silent sigh of relief.

"Hey, Frank," she greeted, pretending to smile. "Come on in."

"Is there anything wrong?" he questioned, concerned. He sat down next to Nancy and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Uh…" started Nancy, unsure whether to spill it or not.

"It's okay, Nan," said Frank. "I'm all ears."

"Ned has been very distant since I became Chris's legal guardian. The last time I talked to him, it ended up in an argument with me storming out of his apartment," she said, shaking her head.

Frank reached out to her and held her in his arms. He gently stroked her hair. "It's okay, Nancy, it's okay."

There was a sharp rap on the front door and the two of them broke off. Nancy got up and headed to the door. Frank watched her as she opened the door. She stepped back as soon as she did so, with a shocked expression on her face. "Ned."

Joe Hardy strolled along Village River, smiling to himself. The weather was cool and yet, the sun was shining brightly. He stuffed his hands into his navy blue jacket and walked leisurely. He snickered at the thought of Frank and Nancy locked in one another's arms, discussing their past – and maybe, future. Then, he heard a female's little giggle just right behind him. He whipped around and saw a young woman of around his age giggling. She had long blond hair and had a slim body. "_And I thought Village Hill was dominated by senior citizens!_" thought Joe, obviously impressed at the sight of the young woman.

"Do you always laugh to yourself?" asked the young woman, amused.

"No," started Joe, "I was just thinking of something." He grinned sheepishly. "I'm Joe, Joe Hardy." He put out his hand. "And you are?..."

"Dana-krys Lee," she said, shaking his hand. "I've never seen you around, where are you from?"

"Bayport," replied Joe, "I'm here on vacation with my brother – Frank."

Dana furrowed her brow. "If you're from Bayport, then you must be one of the detective brothers there!" she said excitedly.

"Well, yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. He was taken aback at their 'popularity', even in places like Village Hill. "What do you do here? I mean Village Hill?"

"I'm a tour guide. All I have to do is study the history of this place and tell the tourists the stuff they need to know," she said cheerfully.

"So, will you be my personal tour guide?" asked Joe mischievously, his eyes twinkling.

"Wha…what? Joe Hardy's personal tour guide?" she said, shocked to her core.

Joe nodded. "Yes, during my stay of one week here."

Unable to decline Joe Hardy's offer, Dana said, "YES!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer : I do not own Nancy, Frank, Joe, Ned and Emerson College. But I do own Village Hill, Chris, Kelly, Sandra, Audrey, Gina, Warrick Handel, weird Mr. Man, cheap motel, Dana, Pierpoint Memorial Building and Walter Pierpoint.**

**CHAPTER 6**

_There was a sharp rap on the front door and the two of them broke off. Nancy got up and headed to the door. Frank watched her as she opened the door. She stepped back as soon as she did so, with a shocked expression on her face. "Ned."_

"Yes, Nancy, it's me – Ned," he said as-a-matter-of-factly. He had his hair dyed black. He drew her into a tight hug and she led him into the living room where Frank was seated. At the sight of Frank, Ned immediately enveloped Nancy in a tighter hug and said, "Do you know how much I've missed you?" Nancy smiled feebly. Ned turned her towards him and gave her a passionate French kiss.

"_He's putting on a show, Frank. Don't get jealous,_"said Frank to himself. _The black hair! _

Ned released Nancy, who looked very uncomfortable. Ned pretended to realize Frank was there for the first time, said, "Oh, Frank, didn't notice you."

"It's okay. Haven't seen you around much these days, huh?" asked Frank. Obviously you haven't seen me. _You were too busy proclaiming your 'love' to Nancy – your valuable asset. Actually, I'm rather glad that you're not around to hurt Nancy anymore._

Ned sat down on the couch and let out a sigh. "I can't help it, now that I'm in my last year at Emerson." _I'm obviously busy. But you don't try to inch your way into my girl's heart. _

"Cool, cool," said Frank nodding. _How boring! At least I'm taking up some better course in the varsity next year – FORENSICS! This is much, much better than your boring linguistics. _

There was an uneasy silence. Breaking the ice, Nancy asked, "Ned, where are you staying?"

"Aren't your doors open for my arrival?" he asked Nancy, pretending to look hurt.

"I don't have enough rooms now since Christensen is staying with me," said Nancy, partially hoping that Ned wouldn't stay in her cottage.

Ned looked frustrated. "Chris, Chris, Chris, it's always Chris!" he said, giving up the act. "What about me?"

"Ned…" started Nancy.

"Choose, Nan, it's either me or the boy," he said firmly.

Nancy was silent for a minute. "Christensen."

Ned stormed out of the little cottage, slamming the wooden door behind him.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

He laughed maniacally. The thought about Nancy crying made him laugh even more. Laugh, laugh, laugh, laugh, laugh. He laid out a foolscap paper on the cheap plywood desk in the small hotel room. Taking out a ball pen from his breast pocket, he started planning his next step of ruining Nancy Drew's life and getting Christensen Handel. He scratched his head a little and continued to scribble viciously; leaving deep indents in the thin white paper. His eyes felt rather heavy and he turned to the bed. He felt lonely, all of a sudden. He needed somebody – desperately. He flipped open a little phone book. He ran a dirty fingernail down the list of names. _Kelly, Sandra, Audrey, Gina…yes, Gina!_ He picked up the receiver and dialed the number. "Hello, Gina dear. It's me…"

……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Joe walked on with Dana by his side, explaining to him about the history of Village Hill. The strong breeze whipped Dana's long, blond hair making her look prettier than ever. Joe would nod seriously taking in and processing the data. Occasionally, he would ask he questions which she would answer without any doubt.

"Hey, what's that building over there?" asked Joe, inquisitively.

"That's the Pierpoint Memorial Building," explained Dana, "In 1926, Village Hill was attacked by the Vasillians – some group of barbaric men and women. The villagers wanted to start a war against their enemy."

Dana pulled her hair back and tied it in a ponytail as walked past the majestic building. Joe dug his hands deeper into his pockets as the cold wind continued to bite his nose.

"However, one young man – a peacemaker had seen enough bloodshed at Village Hill throughout the attacks from the lowlanders," continued Dana, "And so, this brave man went down the hill with his beloved dog, January, and negotiated with the Vasillians."

"Whoa," said Joe, astonished, "This guy's brave."

"Yeah," agreed Dana, "For many days and nights, Pierpoint was not seen and the villagers doubted that he would be alive. But after eight days, Walter Pierpoint returned with January and the Vasillians never did attack Village Hill."

Just as she finished the tale of Walter Pierpoint, a hooded figure rushed out of nowhere and ran into Dana. She fell down, headlong onto the hard concrete ground. Joe looked up, temporarily shocked. Dana lay still on the ground, the contents of her bag spilt on the floor and her camera lay scratched beside her. Joe bent down, turning her unconscious form towards him. He gasped in horror.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

Nancy took Christensen's hand in hers. She leaned over and ruffled his hair. Frank stood behind Nancy. He thought about the previous events had affected Nancy. He looked at her as she passed Chris a glass of water. She was smiling, not something you'd do after an argument.

After the argument with Ned, she went straight up to her room. Frank sat there uncomfortably there. He was sure that she would come down red-eyed later. After ten minutes or so, Nancy came down looking cheerful and she had on a fresh change of clothes. Frank, shocked, just stared at her.

"Well, what are we waiting for, Frank?" she said, "Chris is expecting us."

And that's how he ended up here.

"When will I get to go back and stay with you?" asked Chris.

"The doctor said that you can go back by tomorrow morning," replied Nancy.

Chris punched the air. "YES!"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………...

He awakened to find himself by Gina. She stirred in her sleep as he shifted on the bed. The sun had risen hours ago and he had to put his plan into action. Brown-haired Gina turned to him and smiled. "Good morning, dear."

"Good morning, Gina," he said, kissing her.

He got out of the bed and put on his trousers. She lay on the bed, resting on her right elbow while watching him. He put on his crumpled shirt, her eyes still following him. He sat down on the chair and turned to his master plan. He tapped his pencil on his chin. Aha! A brilliant idea. Excitedly, he penned it down, grinning. Suddenly, he felt two hands on his shoulders. Frightened out of his wits, he whipped around. To his relief, it was Gina. She had showered and dressed. She leant over and rubbed her warm cheek on his from behind. He gave her a peck on her cheek.

"Hey, when are you done, honey?" asked Gina, huskily.

"In a short while, hold on," he said. He continued to scribble down his "brilliant" ideas while she sat on the bed and applied lipstick. He folded the paper, pushed the chair back and got up. He stuffed the paper into his pocket and turned to her. She was admiring herself in her mirror.

"You're beautiful enough," he said praising her. "Now, I need your help…"

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Dana, Dana!" called Joe. Dana lay motionless on the ground, her face a huge bleeding bruise. Some curious pedestrians stopped by and crowded around the two of them. Joe took out his handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed the skin around Dana's bruise. The white of the piece of cloth turned into a deathly red. "Dana, Dana, come on…"

Then, there was a professional voice of a man addressing the crowd, "Step aside please. Yes, that's right, move back for the girl."

Joe looked up from his squatting position. Standing there was an elderly man in a blue shirt. He bent down and checked Dana for any other wounds. He opened his doctor's kit and took out a cotton bud. He applied some ointment on it and carefully cleaned the bloody wound. Dana's eyelashes started to flutter a little and she stirred. "Dana, Dana?" She aroused from her unconsciousness and looked warily around. The crowd slowly began to disperse after seeing that she was alright.

"How do you feel?" asked the doctor gently.

"My cheek feels awfully painful, a stinging pain," she said grimacing.

The doctor probed the side of her head. Then he chuckled a little. "Look's like you're going to have a nasty little bump here."

"Anything's much better than being in the hospital," joked Joe.

The doctor chuckled heartily. Then, he got up slowly as though it pained him. Joe immediately got up and helped the elderly man up. "Well, I've got to go now, duty calls. Take care of your girlfriend here."

"Thanks, doctor?"

"Randall Grenstein." With a raise of the hat and a wave, he was gone.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ned walked down the little hill and kicked a pebble. The afternoon sun was scorching and the trees around the path weren't helping much. His skin was boiling on the outside and he was boiling, too, in the inside. He had walked around the Oval Park thrice trying to recuperate from this morning's event. He picked up a pebble, threw it up and caught it, threw it up and caught it. He was fuming inside. "Nancy Drew, I hate you!" he shouted, the veins in his head on the verge of popping. He flung the pebble with great force at a tree. It flew straight and hit the tree trunk. A little of the bark chipped and fell of. Suddenly, there was a rustle of leaves from somewhere near the tree.

"Who's that?" asked Ned, alert. "Come out, I'm not afraid of you."

A beautiful young lady stepped out from behind the trees. She had long brown hair and she wore a red mini dress above her knees. She wore high heels and she had long legs. Ned studied her from top to bottom.

"So, are you afraid of me?" she asked, her voice husky, walking towards him.

Ned gulped as she put her arms around his shoulders from behind. "Uh… well… I… I… don't… I mean I'm not," he said, not meaning it at all.

"Follow me, then," she said, as she led him into the woods.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

Ned followed the lady into the woods. He had never been to this hill before. The silence of the woods was deafening. The only the audible was the sound of the woman's and his feet crunching the dry leaves on the ground.

"Who are you?" he asked terrified yet trying to hide it, "Where are you taking me?"

The woman chuckled. "Looks like Mr. I'm-Not-Afraid-of-You is afraid now."

She still held his arm tightly, her red-painted nails digging into his skin. He stumbled along by her, as she walked on steadily, knowing the way through the forest without doubt. The sun was directly above them but they barely felt it for they were under the protective shade of the trees. Suddenly, they came to a stop. Curious, Ned stuck his head over the mysterious woman. In front of them was a little hut in the middle of a clearing of trees. She stepped forward and went to the door. She unlocked the fragile wooden door with her right hand, her left still holding his arm.

"Where are you taking me?" Ned asked fearfully, not hiding it anymore.

"You'll see in a second, honey," she said, laughing softly. She pushed the door open and stepped in.

The little hut was rather tidy except for the table at the left-hand corner. It was piled with a few plastic food wrappers and heaps of photographs. She led him in, still clutching his arm.

"Here, have a seat," she said, gesturing to a comfortably-sunken couch. She released his arm and sat him down. "Hold on while I prepare some drinks."

The mysterious woman went into another room which could be the kitchen. Ned sat there, wringing his hands nervously. He surveyed the unfamiliar environment around him. He tapped his foot impatiently on the solid wooden floor. He heard the "tap-tap" of the woman's high heeled shoes on the floor boards. He turned around immediately and got up. She was carrying two glasses of red wine.

"Hey!" he shouted at her, "When can I get out of this place?"

She smiled and settled the glasses on the coffee table. Then, she turned to him and touched his very warm cheek with her delicate fingers. It sent a chill up his spine. "Don't worry," she said, turning around. She took a little tube of lipstick and lined it on her lips. She smacked her lips gently and turned to face him. "You'll be out of here in no time, Ned Nickerson."

Ned stood there dumbfounded. "H…how…how do you…k…know my name?"

She laughed softly. "A little information, silly."

She took a step forward and he took a step backwards. She put her two hands on his cheeks and gave him a hard kiss on the lips. Ned felt shocked and could only stand there, hardly returning her kiss. Suddenly, he could taste a very bitter substance on her lips. He grimaced and tried to pull away but she still held him tight. Slowly, he could barely feel her kissing him, barely feel her hands on his cheeks, barely feel his feet on the ground, barely taste the bitterness. Then, he lapsed into unconsciousness.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Thankfully, that doctor was here just in a nick of time!" exclaimed Dana, "What's his name again?"

"Doctor Randall Grenstein," replied Joe, still wondering who the person in the hooded figure was.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The following morning, a half-sleepy Nancy sped downhill as quickly as possible. She had just received another threat from "The Psychotic New Yorker". Now she had to race to the Villagers' Welcome to pick Frank up then to check out for Chris – if he is alright.

_Well, well, well, Nancy, looks like you are running out of time. Christensen will soon be in the hands of his rightful guardian – who is a very much alive Handel…not a mere 24-year-old Drew girl._

The message in the letter kept ringing in her head. She slammed to a halt in front of the inn. Frank came running down the stairs into the car.

"Is Chris okay?" he asked, out of breath.

"I…I don't know," said Nancy worriedly, "We'll be seeing to that in just a short while."

The car sped down the road all the way to the hospital. Nancy scanned through the parking lot for a space. As soon as she found it, she backed into the lot carelessly and ran straight into the hospital with Frank behind her. She took the elevator up, tapping her foot nervously on the floor, much to the annoyance of a grumpy old lady. Floor 1, 2, 3, 4, 5! She dashed out of the elevator. Nancy burst into the ward. To her horror, Christensen's bed was empty and tidied up!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N : Ok, confusion. What colour is Ned's hair exactly?**

**CHAPTER 9**

"Where's Chris?" asked Nancy, gripping Frank's hand. She turned to Mr. Kyle Bachelor who lay on the bed beside the Chris's bed. "Mr. Bachelor, have you seen Christensen?" Her voice had a tinge of panic.

"Uh-uh, not me," said the elderly man, turning back to his book. "Hold on, Nancy, a male nurse with dark hair took him out. I think he checked out."

Frank grabbed her hand and pulled her out back to the lobby of the 5th floor. The elevator was still at the ground floor. He jabbed the button vigorously. He decided they could not wait for the elevator, so they ran down the emergency staircase.

"Receptionist, do you know of any male nurse with dark hair?" asked Nancy breathlessly after running down five flights of stairs.

A blonde female nurse was seated at the reception admiring her red-painted nails daintily. She looked up and gave a slight scowl. "Oh, we have blonde-haired nurses if you are looking for a boyfriend but we have no dark-haired ones," she said in a high-pitched voice, "Sadly, dark-haired ones are such a rarity." She batted her eyelashes flirtatiously at Frank. He put his arm casually around Nancy's shoulders. Such a woman is very dangerous.

The nurse saw what Frank did and pursed her lips. "Thanks a lot," said Nancy.

"Uh, whatever," said the nurse.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The atmosphere was dim and almost romantic. Heavy drapes blocked out the sunlight. Joe Hardy and Dana-krys Lee sat in a secluded corner, barely touching their food but gazing into one another's eyes.

_Joe._

_Gosh, she's so beautiful. The long blonde hair, the pink rosy cheeks, the height, the hour-glass body…wow! And to top the list she's smart. I mean, she's a tour guide. That means she has studied the history of this place thoroughly. Looks like the Joe Hardy charm is not lost. She so friendly and gentle and patient and lovely and nice and sweet and…she's PERFECT!_

_Dana._

_Oh…just gazing into his lovely blue eyes makes me more in love with him. But he's Joe Hardy. Many girls adore him and besides, he'll be going back to Bayport in 6 days. But…he's so cute. I mean, the way he smiles, the ruffled blonde hair, the strong protective body, the bulging muscles…ohh…_

_oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo_

"Hey, who are you?" shouted Christensen.

"No need to shout, dear," said a brown-haired lady dressed in red. She touched his chin gently. She was very pretty.

"Why am I in this car? And where are we going?" he demanded, "Nancy was supposed to fetch me."

"You'll know in a very short while, Christensen," said the lady, smiling slyly.


End file.
